The Embassy of the United States of America in Belize is undergoing a leadership transition following the departure of Chargé d’Affaires David Hodge. As of Monday, August 11th, Deputy Chief of Mission Rhonda Slusher has assumed temporary charge until the new Chargé d’Affaires, Katharine Beamer, on August 23, 2025.
Hodge had led the embassy in Belmopan for seven months after Ambassador Michelle Kwan’s departure in January. An accomplished diplomat, he previously served as Consul General in São Paulo, Brazil, Deputy Chief of Mission in Guatemala, and Chargé d’Affaires in Panama. His career includes postings in Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Thailand, Portugal, and Mozambique, as well as work in Washington, D.C., as Director for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy. In Belize, Hodge focused on strengthening cooperation between the United States and Belize and participated as an observer in the March general election.
In his absence, Slusher will oversee embassy operations until Beamer assumes office. Slusher is a career diplomat and U.S. Air Force veteran who most recently served in Guyana. Since joining the State Department in 2007, she has held postings in Panama, Azerbaijan, Peru, and Washington, D.C.
According to the embassy, Beamer is a senior Foreign Service officer who most recently directed the Office of Caribbean Affairs. Her overseas experience includes assignments in Guatemala, Poland, Slovakia, Bolivia, and the Dominican Republic, as well as senior roles in Washington, D.C.
Beamer, a native of San Diego, California, graduated from Stanford University in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a master’s degree in Sociology.
